WILMINGTON — When she left for her freshman year at UNC-Wilmington last summer, Altman Griffin had an inkling she’d have no problem fitting in with the Lady Seahawks’ volleyball program.
The former Lady Raider standout was right, as she saw her first year of college wrapped up earlier this month. Griffin, who was recruited as a walk-on last April, was red-shirted this season but accepted her role alongside her 16 teammates to make it a success.
“As a freshman, I understood my role on the team,” Griffin, a right side hitter, said. “I was there to practice and get better, and I didn’t expect to play at all.
“The biggest thing this year was becoming a team player,” she added. “I made sure I was always cheering my teammates on and making sure I was helping whatever way I could. It was a big adjustment going from being the best on the team (at Richmond) to not playing much.”
Another adjustment that Griffin made smoothly was balancing her college course load with being a member of the volleyball team. The Lady Seahawks competed in 27 matches last fall, traveling to eight different states, including stops in Colorado and Massachusetts.
Griffin made Dean’s List during the fall semester, and anticipates making it again this spring. An exercise science major, Griffin learned quickly the importance of meshing her studies with her time in the gym.
“It was a tough year in terms of figuring out managing my time,” she admitted. “I didn’t have a lot of free time, and I wasn’t expecting it to be that much of a commitment. But this year made me mentally stronger and I improved a lot over the season.
“Classes were tough, especially making the switch from high school to college,” she smiled. “After going to classes and spending five or six hours of my day with volleyball, it got exhausting.”
Where Griffin found the most success during her freshman campaign was not on the hardwood, but in the sand. This spring, Griffin was one of 18 UNCW volleyball players to compete in the beach volleyball season.
Although she was injured for part of the beach season, Griffin teamed up with sophomore Elena Turnbull in a couple of matches to help the team. Competing in the No. 5 pairing, Griffin and Turnbull defeated Tusculum University’s Destiny Ramsey and Katelyn Weems 2-0 (21-8, 21-9) on March 24.
“I never played beach volleyball, so I wasn’t sure what to expect,” Griffin said. “But I liked it a lot and was glad I made a spot. To be able to play was really cool and I learned a lot.
“I really liked beach because you have a connection with your partner and you’re both playing for each other,” she added of playing with one other teammate versus five in indoor. “I found that you’re willing to do everything you can to help each other out.”
Even though her summer break just started, Griffin returned to Wilmington Sunday to prepare for her upcoming sophomore season. In 2018, the Lady Seahawks went 15-12 and finished sixth in the Colonial Athletic Association standings.
UNCW will be without five of its seniors from last year, and Griffin is looking to move up the ranks.
“I’m just going to focus on working out and working in open gym every day,” Griffin concluded. “The more experience and playing time I have, the better I’ll get. It’ll be tough to see a lot of playing time, so I’m definitely going to have to work myself in.”
